Historian given four years in prison over Euroradio interview

September 13, Pozirk. Judge Michaił Makarevič has sentenced prominent historian Ihar Mielnikaŭ to four years in prison over an interview he had given to Euroradio in Poland a few months before Belarus designated the media outlet an extremist group.
The defendant, accused of facilitating extremism, pleaded guilty, the Minsk Prosecutor’s Office reported.
The historian was arrested earlier this year over his January 2022 interview about his research and exhibition in Warsaw.
Belarusian prosecutors charged that it helped promote “extremist activities” among larger audiences despite the fact that the interior ministry blacklisted Euroradio as an extremist group only in July 2022.
Mielnikaŭ, 44, specializes in the modern military history of Belarus. He earned his doctoral degree from Belarusian State University in 2011.
A few weeks ago, Belarusian authorities branded three of his books extremist content.
Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.

Japanese man denounces Belarusian secret services’ “lies”
- PoliticsMinsk renews its invitation for Kenyan president to visit BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus accredits Finland’s military attachéThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyInformation ministry enlists Orthodox Church in censorshipThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSlovak prime minister said to be willing to visit MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- SocietyOver 2,000 Belarusians “undesirable” in Poland – reportThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- EconomyEnergy ministry: nuclear power provides 40 percent of Belarus’ electricityThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyGovernment grants tax safeguard to Łukašenka ally’s companyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus reports record $12.4 billion in gold and foreign exchange reservesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLithuanian MP criticizes Washington for excluding EU from talks with MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka invited to visit Indonesia, North Korea, ZimbabweThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: authorities auctioning off Babaryka’s art collectionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja at Bled Forum: we must speed up changeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- SocietyFive Ukrainian, five Russian families to reunite in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- Politics, Security, SocietyAugust 2.1 percent short of record number of irregular border crossings from Belarus to EUThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, Security